Market data and conditions

Sellers who want to sell, but can’t

Where are all the sellers? The big issue in Boston area real estate is inventory. There are not enough houses for sale. We have a stalemate about inventory here. These are the factors: Empty-nesters are staying longer in their houses. This is a demographic and cultural shift. They are holding on to their houses, partly

Real Estate Economy, Spring 2021

Derek Thompson, in The Atlantic, summarized what is happening in the American real estate economy. Here’s a summary, some notes on how it is affecting eastern Massachusetts in particular, and how 4 Buyers Real Estate is responding to it. The scarcity of housing for sale. Falling rents. Thompson: “… in America’s big metros, home prices

By |2021-03-14T20:31:59-04:00March 17th, 2021|Categories: Market data and conditions|Tags: , , , |

Fair Market Value, and how to know what’s fair

In every market, I run into buyers who do not look at Fair Market Value (FMV) when they decide what a property is worth. That's a mistake. To negotiate the lowest possible price for a property, a buyer needs a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) to determine the Fair Market Value (FMV). Properties sell for what

In a recession, why are home prices rising?

"America is in a recession, so why are home buyers so optimistic and house prices rising?" I answer questions on Quora sometimes. I choose ones that either interest me personally or professionally. This one is a question that I have been hearing professionally, so it was one I considered answering. When I read the first

By |2020-08-27T11:42:00-04:00September 2nd, 2020|Categories: Market data and conditions|Tags: , , , , , , |

Covid-19 and Real Estate

On March 10, I was sent the National Association of Realtor’s® statement about Covid-19, the coronavirus that has infected people around the world. Risks: For Sellers: Realtors® are encouraged to discuss the risks of holding open houses, or having appointments where buyers come to your house. … Speak openly and honestly with your seller about

Watching for a recession. What are the indicators?

What should you look for as an indication that the seller’s market is on the decline? How can you watch for a turn in uneven supply and demand balance in favor of buyers? As exclusive buyer’s agents, we’ve seen this before. But, because we are a small company who work with a small number of

The end of bidding wars?

The Boston Globe published an article about the possibility of a slow-down in local real estate. “... houses are taking longer to sell, and when they do, they’re more likely to sell below listing price than they did a year ago. Also, the number of homes on the market, particularly condominiums, is up. The market